St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-09-18
The Interstate Commission
Listens to the Evidence
of Railroad Men.
Senator Pope and Manager
Truesdale Occupies It's At
tention for a Time.
The Question Of Discrimi-
nation Against Mankato
Being Considered.
And Judge Cooley Announces
That the Session Of the
Commission Has Closed.

The interstate commission held their
adjourned session in the hall of the
chamber of commerce yesterday, COM
mencing at 10 o'clock. Chairman Cooley
and Messrs. Walker, Bragg, Morrison
and Schoonmaker were promptly on
hand, so was Senator Pope, of the Man
katO Business Mems association, and
Mr.. Truesdale, of the Minneapolis IL st.
Louis road. John A. Willard, of Man
kato, took seat at the reporters table
and took notes all the time. Senator
Goodrich, of Blue Earth City, was an in
tereSted spectator of the proceedings.
Mr.. Truesdale admitted all the allega-
tons in the complaint except the charge
that the road charged higher rates from
Chicago to Mankato as compared with
the rates from Chicago to st. Paul or
Minneapolis. Mr.. Truesdale admitted
that by the cut made by the Minnesota
IL Northwestern the Minneapolis & ST.
Louis was obliged to make the same
rates, and General Freight Agent KIM
ball has urged that the same rate be
made to Mankato as upon the other
roads. Z. b. Clarke, the general traffic
manager of the Chicago, st. Paul, Min
neapoliS u Omaha, was the first witness
called. lie said in substance:
MR.. CLARKE's TESTIMONY.
The existing rates between Chicago and ST.
Paul are not reasonably remunerative.
consider them TOO low for the distance and
the service performed. l am familiar with
the facts and circumstances attendant upon
the bringing about of the present rates. The
previous rates were about so per cent higher
The Minnesota L. Northwestern, being q new
corporation here, concluded to put these
rates into effect upon the understanding with
the business men of this city that the Mime
sofa Northwestern should get large share
of the business, and that these would be the
rates summer and winter. The tariff to
Council Bluffs and Omaha is about 90c for
300 miles, while it IS only soc between Chi
cago and st. Paul for distance of 400 miles,
Lake Superior competition in connection
with the st. Paul & Duluth and the Chicago,
st. Paul, Minneapolis Il Omaha roads has the
effect, 1 think, of reducing the rates between
Chicago and st. Paul. Yes, there is much
more general merchandise this season than
ever before, perhaps 80 per cent. local bust
ness OF these two cities coming by way of
Lake Superior. large share of the business
goes out by way of the lake points, over the
Northern Pacific and the Manitoba.
CrOsS-eXamined by Mr.. Pope:
The rate on the Minnesota d. Northwestern
is soc for first-class freight. The rate of TIE
etc., has been i'll force since Nov. 1, previous
to the last session of the legislature. No.
don't think the legislative session had any
thing to do with putting up the rates We
always make a rate after the lake season
closes; The rate on the Omaha last year,
July 20, was 45c, 35c, 25c and zoe; now it is
soc, etc. l don't think there were many
cases of private rebates; very few if any.
The statistical reports do not show very
great increase i'll freight earnings; no, sir,
not an increase i'll net earnings The dis
tance from Duluth to St Paul via the Omaha
road is III miles; via the st. Paul d Duluth
155. 1t is 399 miles from Chicago to ST.
Paul. The rates were all agreed upon by the
WqSfarn IN nc
made by the Minnesota K Northwestern.
Senator Pope explained that he was
trying to prove that the competing lines
were controlled by the Lake Michigan
lines. He asked if the report of the
railroad company last year showed
satisfactory earnings. Mr.. Clark said
he couldn answer that question. Com
missioner Cooley explained that it was
not necessary, the reports would show
what was required in that direction.
Mr.. Clark continued:
Yes, the net rates now into st. Paul are
better l think than when the cutting was
going on. We get fair revenue possibly
comparing the present rates with the cut
rates. The tariff was increased April l. Yes
the increase last April might have tended
somewhat to drive business to the lakes
Redirect by Mr.. Truesdale:
One or two lines have opened up between
St. Paul and Chicago fierce competition
the lines East of Lake Superior are also in
competition. Goods have been brought
cheaper this year from Boston and New
York than ever before.
Re-cross by Mr.. Pope:
The rates in carload lots of agricultural
implements, during the fighting rates, were
made by one corporation, land when the asso-
citation met they confirmed that rate making
the same rate for everybody. Yes it was 10
cents f rom July to July 10. In November
it was raised to "a. and on A class 27 Yes,
agricultural implements are very important
item in the business coming to the North
west. We made that the open tariff. 1t was
simply owing to the misrepresentation of an
agent in making particular rate and the
association confirmed it. 1t is 2212 cents
now 10 Mankato, IL to St. Paul The 10
cent rate was never the rate very long. 1t
was only paid while it was in force
Senator Pope was eIfdeavoring to
show that rebates had been allowed,
that he, himself. had been allowed a
rebate at Mankato, although high rate
was Ostensibly in force, and the rebate
practically made a very low rate for
him. He asserted as much, and tried to
find out by Mr.. Clark if a number of
persons dld not enjoy a 10-cent rate
even after higher rate had gone into
effect. j. G.. Boyden, Northwestern
freight agent of Chicago. Milwaukee IL
st. Paul, was then called by Mr.. Trues-
dale. His testimony was:
MIR. BoYDEN's TALK.
Am familiar with the rates between Chi
cago and the two cities of ST. Paul and Min
neapolis. These rates are all that we can OBJ
tain, but they are not equal with the rates
via the lakes. There will be a little revenue
between Chicago and Milwaukee here owing
to the volume Of business. l think it would
ban krupt an ordinary road to go into any
such policy of cutting rates down SO low.
The rates are not met in any commodity. The
rates of lake transportation during the nayi-
CATION season usually governs the rates by
rail. Well, we know what the rates are now,
what they are going to be-that is the only
advantage. Last season when we had a rate
of 10 cents upon sugar, fifth class rate from
Chicago and Milwaukee here. there WASH t
one car in q hundred that came by way of
Chicago and Milwaukee here. When YOU
between Chicago and ST. Paul and compare
with the amount between Chicago and Man
kato, and also take into consideration the
competition between Chicago and Mankato,
st. Paul, l should not think there was any
discrimination. The bulk of all heavy
freight comes by the lakes The business
coming by way of Duluth is between 90 and
80 per cent, yes, the business coming from
the seaboards, having reference to eastern
There is difference all the time of 40 cents
on fifth class freight Iregard the rate of 7Ia
cents on -four as something we have to accept,
that's ALL or go out Of the business. We
don't care much for it, only we have to take
care of our own tonnage, and this forms a
part of our through business. AS to the rates
from Duluth, don't think the roads get any
1aore than terminal charges; don't think
they are remuneratiye at all.
Chairman Cooley-What inducement then
is there for any road to take that business?
Mr.. Boyden-That's something no man has
yet been athletic tell.